Bucket and Cricket
by Miss Junie
Summary: Lucas was sat there minding his own business, when all of a sudden, a little girl appeared, interrupting his peaceful world.   An AU one-shot where Lucas and Skye met before Terra Nova when they were children, and how Lucas got his nickname.


**Author's note: **Sorry for my little hiatus! I accidentally gave myself a concussion, so had to take time off with that, and then catch up with university. This just came out of nowhere, and you can thank Jemma for this. We were chatting about nicknames for Lucas, since Skye has Bucket, and randomly, we decided on Cricket, and thus, this little one-shot was born. It is AU, and based on Skye and Lucas meeting before Terra Nova. A new multi-chapter is in the works, and another smaller 4/5 shot will be posted soon. Hope you enjoy :)!

**Disclaimer: **Whatever Fox, just let Netflix take over!

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><p>Lucas sat in the grass just outside his house, magnifying glass close at hand, notepad in the other. He had begged and pleaded for his Mother to just let him sit indoors, let him work on his algebra, but she had refused. As much as he had pouted and pleaded, she pointed to the door with a smile, telling him that he'd become a ghost if he sat inside any longer. Even his 8 year old logic could tell him that he wouldn't become a ghost, and even as he scowled, she had still refused, pushing him laughingly towards the door, insisting on some 'fresh' air and sunshine.<p>

After he had huffed, he had finally relented, remembering his promise to his Father that he would be 'good' for his Mother. He frowned at the conversation, remembering the loose terms that his Father had given him. While he was only eight years old, he knew that he was far ahead of other children his age. He was in grade 9 for a start, while the others were still in grade 3. He knew that mentally he was far ahead of his peers, but physically, maybe not. He looked down at his arms, looking at what he knew to be scrawniness, the pasty white of his skin. He sighed, and looked up at the sky, pushing his glasses up his nose, sighing again slightly. He had no time for sitting outdoors when his algebra was begging to be finished, but he knew that his Mother wouldn't let him back inside the house until he'd been out there for a sufficient amount of time.

With a huff of impatience, he picked up his magnifying glass, determined to distract himself in some way. It had been the first thing he could grab that he thought could be of slight use outdoors. While his focus in school was math and physics, to graduate, he had to receive an arts credit. The assignment this week had been to draw an insect, and while he couldn't do his algebra, why not get started?

He poked the ground with a finger curiously, grimacing in distaste as the ground parted, coating his finger with slime and soil. He took a deep breath, trying to still his disgust, and wiped his finger on the bottom of his shoe, distasteful of the dirt.

"What are you doing?" Asked a high-pitched voice behind him.

Lucas whipped his head around, stunned into silence as he saw a small girl standing behind him, head tilted to the side, smiling curiously at him. He looked at her in bemusement, never having seen her before. He knew all the children on the military base. Having a photographic memory definitely helped in these kind of situations, and yet, he knew he'd never seen her before. She stood there, still smiling at him, hair in high - what he knew to be - pigtails on either side of her head tied with bright red ribbons, dressed in a bright blue dress with a pink polka dot belt tied in a bow over her stomach. She looked like a giant walking, smiling bow.

She smiled at him again, and taking a few quick steps over to him, plopped on the ground beside him, and sticking her finger in the dirt just as he'd done. "See, it's just dirt!" She announced proudly, showing him her finger.

"Who are you?" Lucas asked curiously. It was bothering him that he had no idea who this little girl was. He tried to think if he'd heard his Mother mention anyone new moving to the base.

"Commander Tate!" She stated proudly, giving him a small military salute.

He chuckled against his will, biting his lip in amusement at this small girl, grinning widely at him, front tooth missing. "Is that your Father?" He asked gently, for some reason not wanting to upset this little girl. His heart clenched as he saw her bottom lip begin to wobble. "Alright, Commander Tate," he said quickly, patting her on her shoulder awkwardly. Even with his advanced knowledge, he still didn't know how to deal with women crying. He knew that whenever his Mother cried he would hug her, and let her cry into his hair until she was done. He never knew why it helped, apparently it just did. He didn't know even with his advanced intelligence whether he'd ever understand women.

The little girl poked the ground again resentfully, "Skye." She muttered.

"Skye?" Lucas asked carefully.

Skye pointed up to the bright blue sky above them. "Like that. You can call me Bucket though if you want," she said helpfully. "That's what mommy calls me."

"Do you want me to call you Bucket?" He asked cautiously. One could never be too careful with what women wanted. She shrugged her shoulders at him. He shrugged back, taking that as a yes. He looked at her curiously, wondering where she had come from. "Do your parents know where you are?" He questioned, pushing his glasses back up his nose from where they'd slipped.

She shrugged again. "Daddy said go explore while he talked in there." She pointed back to the direction of his house, and his heart jumped as he saw an unfamiliar man talking with his Mother on their front porch. Noticing his gaze, his Mother waved at him, smile on her face. He shrugged lightly, realizing that she was fine with the man, there was no need to worry.

"What are you doing?" Skye poked him in the leg to get his attention.

Lucas frowned slightly at her, smiling reluctantly as she grinned at him, big smear of dirt somehow having emerged on her cheek in the split second his attention had been on his Mother. "Drawing." He answered reluctantly, showing her his notepad.

"There's nothing on here!" She exclaimed, tapping the pad with a dirty finger.

He grimaced at the stain, subtly trying to wipe it away. "That's because I haven't found anything to draw yet." He scratched his forehead.

"Why not?" Skye asked curiously.

Lucas' head was starting to ache. He'd never been asked so many questions in such a short amount of time. "I don't know. Do you know of anything to draw?"

"House." She answered promptly, pointing back at his house.

He shook his head, "It has to be an insect."

"You mean a bug?" Lucas nodded. "Then why don't you have a bug?"

Lucas blushed lightly, not wanting to explain to this little girl that he was a little, _squeamish_ when it came to insects. It wasn't that he was _afraid_ per se, more that he had meticulously researched their biology and understood better than many people his age of the dangers of bugs, insects, spiders, any type of moving small body. He restrained a shiver, trying to think of an explanation. "It has to be a special bug." He said cautiously.

"I know one!" She said excitedly, jumping to her feet, hands dusting the dirt of her backside, and holding her hand out to him. "It makes a noise!"

Lucas looked at her hand cautiously. "Most do." He acknowledged. She shook her hand at him again, obviously waiting for him to get to his feet. Seeing no other alternative, he got to his feet slowly, ignoring her hand. She waved her hand at him again, sighing impatiently, grabbing his hand when he didn't take hers, and started walking, attempting to pull him with her. "Shouldn't we stay here?" He asked gently.

Skye shook her head impatiently. "Daddy's busy," she said importantly, "We'll be back soon." She started walking again, still holding his hand, and Lucas weighed his options. He could easily pick her up and bring her back to her Father, but, there was an overwhelming feeling inside of him not wanting to hurt this little girl's feelings, an overwhelming need to make her happy. He sighed, shaking his head, and began following her.

She led him out of his garden, and stopped, head tilted to the side. "Listen!" She said excitedly. He tried to focus on what she wanted him too, and soon heard the chirping that she had. She tugged him over to the fence, dropping onto her knees, and searching through the grass, quickly finding what she was looking for, pulling out a cricket triumphantly. Lucas blanched in horror, skin going a shade whiter. Crickets weren't that nasty, they were certainly better than some bugs, but only marginally. "It's a chirper! What's your name?" Skye asked suddenly.

"Cricket," he croaked, pointing weakly at the cricket she was holding, trying to correct her.

"Cricket? That's a nice name! Hello, Cricket." She said importantly, holding her other hand out for him to shake.

He took her hand weakly, pointing at the cricket with another hand. "No, _that's _a cricket." He corrected gently. "My name is Lucas."

"Ucas?" She frowned at him. "I liked Cricket better. Like Jiminy Cricket!" She squealed excitedly, waving the cricket closer to him, not noticing as he moved back in fear.

"No, _Lucas_," he said weakly, keeping his gaze on the cricket that was being waved closer to him.

"Cas? Kind of like Cricket!" She frowned at him in confusion, still holding the cricket which was chirping weakly in her hand.

"Just call me Cricket," he muttered, seeing no other option, warily eyeing the small insect clutched in her hand.

"Skye?" Lucas and Skye looked up, somewhat guiltily, seeing his Mother and who he presumed to be Skye's Father standing at the edge of his garden, watching them curiously. Lucas got to his feet quickly, rolling his eyes in amusement as Skye held out the hand not holding the cricket to help her up, and he held out his hand, pulling her up.

"We found crickets!" Skye announced triumphantly, waving the poor creature clutched in her tiny fist at their parents.

"You did." Lucas' mother smiled in bemusement, eyes twinkling at Lucas' reddening face.

"Are you going to introduce me to your friend, Bucket?" Her Father asked her amusedly.

Skye's face dropped as she remembered that her Father had always told her she must remember to introduce people, as it was the _polite _way to do things. "Sorry. This is Cricket." She said quickly, pointing the fist with the cricket at Lucas to demonstrate his name.

"Nice to meet you, Cricket." Her Father held out his hand for Lucas to shake.

"Um, actually, it's Lucas." He said awkwardly, extending his hand and shaking it. "Skye had trouble saying it."

"Sorry about that, son." He said kindly, clapping a hand on his shoulder. "Terrible three's, you know!" He teased, swooping down and picking up Skye, sitting her on his shoulders as she clapped excitedly, Cricket still tightly clutched in her hand. "Alright, we have to go home and see Mum. It was nice to meet you both, and I'm sure you'll see more of this one," he tapped Skye's leg as she giggled, "Soon."

Lucas' Mother nodded at them both. "It was lovely meeting you both," she said kindly. "We'll see you tonight!" Lucas stood there with his Mother, watching in bemusement as Skye waved the poor little cricket at them in goodbye.

"Cricket?" His Mother asked amusedly when they were out of earshot.

Lucas felt his face flush red instantly, and he dropped his gaze to the ground, walking back to the house. "She couldn't say Lucas." He muttered, feeling his ears turn red at his Mother's amused laughter.

"I think it's a lovely name," she said seriously. "As long as she doesn't have you in her fist like that little one!" She laughed lightly, still grinning at the image of the little girl waving the poor cricket at them so happily. "I think it's lovely you have a new friend."

Lucas blanched. This little girl? The one who gave him 3 names to call her, including Bucket? The one who'd stuck her finger in the dirt, held his hand. The one who'd fearlessly showed him that cricket? He thought for a couple of seconds, and sorting through his thoughts, he nodded slowly. Maybe it would be nice to have a friend, especially one who seemed to be as fearless as she was.

"Feeling ok, _Cricket_?" His Mother said teasingly, noticing his silence. He frowned at her, maybe _not_ in some instances, and yet, he couldn't help a feeling of rising excitement in him at the thought of seeing her again.

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><p>And there you have Lucas' nickname ;)! I couldn't resist with these two, so cute! As always, I love to hear your thoughts!<p> 


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